During the 2nd Summit Meeting of Heads of State of Central African States on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems held in Brazzaville, Congo, from February 4-5, 2005, the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group pledged to help the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) with the implementation of its Convergence Plan and all sub-regional and national initiatives that will help in reducing poverty in the sub-region. It is in keeping with this commitment that the Bank Group will host an international conference on Financing Mechanisms for the Sustainable Management of the Congo Basin Forest Ecosystems from February 21-22 in Tunis, Tunisia.

The conference aims at defining a strategy for obtaining sustainable financing for the management of forest eco-systems in the Congo Basin and strengthening governance and partnerships between various stakeholders. The central theme of the conference will be on sustainable financing mechanisms of the COMIFAC Convergence Plan. It will focus on governance as it relates to the management of the Congo Basin forest, the development of innovative financing mechanisms as well as institutional support to the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat and other partners.

The conference will also enable partners to improve upon the quality of discussions and identify ways and means of implementing the treaty on the conservation and management of sustainable forest ecosystems in Central Africa signed on February 5, 2005, in Brazzaville, Congo. It will also make it possible to define modalities to guarantee sustainable financing for COMIFAC’s sub-regional convergence plan, its national components, as well as sub-regional cooperation institutions responsible for the Plan’s implementation. Other sustainable financing mechanisms that could be planned for include: (i) the change of date to benefit the fight against poverty; (ii) carbon credits, and (iii) resources from eco-tourism.

Outcomes of the conference

The Tunis conference is expected to lead to:

A declaration on the sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin; and

An announcement by the Bank Group on the design of an institutional support project for the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat and other partners responsible for the management of natural resources in the Congo Basin.

The conference will take place at the Abou Nawas Tunis hotel, not far away from the Bank. Bookings have been made for our invitees. Please fill in the form for registration.

Nobel Laureate Attends International Conference on Congo Basin

At the invitation of Bank Group President, Donald Kaberuka, Noble Laureate and renowned environmentalist, Wangari Maathai, will attend the forthcoming international conference on financing mechanisms for the sustainable management of Congo Basin forests ecosystems scheduled for February 21 – 22, 2008, in Tunis, Tunisia. Mrs. Maathai co-chairs the Congo Basin Fund with Former Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin. The participation of these distinguished personalities is proof of the support and confidence the Bank Group is enjoying from friends and partners of the Congo Basin Forest.